Dude, escort bought out BEL a few years back. The numbers on the Bel RX65 and the escort 8500 x50 are seemingly identicle. I would say the x50 is better because you can do software upgrades and the blue leds are amazing. As far as performance, most tests and review sites still put the valentine 1 ahead of the pack, (but only slightly) is that extra second worth an extra $120 for the val? I guess you have to decide...

Best range in real road situations this year (2004) was awarded to the Escort X50 at 2 1/2 miles for both instant on and constant Radar modes. At this far out neither Bel nor the Valentine detectors picked up a signal. The Valentine detector also failed to pick up POP mode Radar at 1,000 and 500 feet distances while the Escort X50 and Bel did detect it. Both detectors cloaked against VG2 effectively (even though VG2 isnt made anymore it is now spectre 1, 2, and 3). The escort X50 was fully stealth to VG2 and Spectre 3 while also showing superior detection distances to Spectre 1 & 2 over the Valentine (which was not stealth to spectre 3) and the bel detectors. All detectors FAILED to pick up laser when aimed at the front targeting zone of the vehicles.

Bottom line both Valentine and Escort X50 are awesome detectors and both will provide radar detection with ample warning time. The Valentine did how ever fail in POP mode radar detection.

- Speed Labs Testing

[Note] Speed labs uses ONLY police officers professionally trained to operate speed detection equipment to get rid of any bias possibility. NO ONE part of Speed Labs ever touches a Radar/Laser gun or RDD while testing Radar/Laser/VG2 detectors.

James Robertson

Unregistered guest

Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 - 23:19 GMT

Hello the guys before Damien??? stop making stuff up. The escort x50 is superior to all radar detectors out there. I own both a Valentine and an X50. I keep the X50 in my Viper. It works to perfection. The Valentine pics up a lot more false signals and the arrows get really confused in the city etc. Why pay the extra money for a Valentine when the X50 is better? To Valentine's credit..it was meant to compete with the Escort Model before the X50 came out on the market. I would not be surprised if Valentine does not come up with a new model. These guys just go back and forth. But for now go with the X50

Whoa, what the hell you doing with Viper? Ha ha, just kidding. I wish I had a Viper to play with... I wouldn't need a radar detector though, cause I'd be too busy going slow showing off!

tenks

Unregistered guest

Posted on Friday, January 28, 2005 - 08:47 GMT

i own the x50 and thus far i am extremely impressed ... my roomates own the normal 8500 and a valentine 1 ... from comparing the 8500x50 and the v1 we decided that we like the x50 better because it isnt over sensitive like the v1 ... too many false alarms ... the benefit of the v1 is the direction arrows ... however if your detector goes off you shouldnt be looking to see where the cop is instead of breaking (my roomate made that mistake ... but got off with a warning) ... like it has been stated before ... both are extremely good detectors ... but my opinion is go for the 8500 x50 ... itll save you almost a hundred bucks

I have the Passport 8500 and It ha saved me more times then I could count. I drive down to florida every year and the first trip down it saved me 13 times. I always came home with a ticket but not anymore. I want another one for my wife's car the way I look at it is if it saves you once it paid for itself so you might as well go with the best.

Steve70

Unregistered guest

Posted on Monday, February 28, 2005 - 18:27 GMT

I guys, where can I get the Escort X50 in New Jersey. I live around Plainfield. Thanks

Steve 70. go to corvetteforums.com and look under the c5 section. Locate the radar detector thread and there is a guy, I believe his name is DINO something who sells them cheaper than anywhere WITH warranty! BTW check this out. The x50 is not good with X band, and X band is huge in NJ. I know cuz I live there too!

that review was poorly executed after reading it. " Its X-band performance did appear to diminish, somewhat, when operating with Ka band enabled. " offered no objective data to back up the perceived claim, and no factual explanation for why it appeared to happen. Personally I think it was tehir subjective bias that tainted their views on this one. Also they drove with multiple detectors on in the same car, and this will ruin any test with detectors, as the bleed from one's PLL oscillating crystal circuit will cause the other detector to false and both units will play off of each other in this manner, giving false readings.

read http://www.radartest.com/ for more objective, accurate reviews on these units, performed by professionals who know what they're doing, because they are the engineers who've worked designing detectors.